Obasanjo, Anyaoku for honour at NEW 2017 in Port Harcourt

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and erstwhile Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, are to be honoured at the Nigeria Education Week (NEW) 2017 holding between November 13 and 17 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The event is being organised by The Guardian in conjunction with Book and Sports Limited.The elder statesmen are to bag the “Landmark Achievement Award for Exemplary Leadership in Education” at the event, which has Governor Nyesom Wike as chief host.

Obasanjo, during his tenure from 1999 and 2007, encouraged the establishment, development and growth of private universities, thereby enhancing access to higher education. He also sustained the implementation of the non-tuition fee policy in federal tertiary institutions.

Anyaoku’s numerous contributions to nation-building and educational development are commendable. Obasanjo, while receiving members of the NEW committee, led by former Vice Chancellor, Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), Prof Sidi Osho at his Hilltop Mansion in Abeokuta, lauded The Guardian for the initiative, noting that the programme would go a long way in fashioning out the way forward for tertiary education in the country.

He said: “ I want to thank the committee for the honour. I will accept the award and hope that issues affecting the sector would be extensively tackled.”

Prof. Osho said the decision to honour the Egba chief was borne out of his laudable contributions to the growth of the sector while in office.“Putting into consideration your numerous contributions to the growth of education in the country, particularly tertiary education, we believe that you should be part of the event and also be appreciated,” he stated.

The event aims to review and propose solutions to the myriad of problems confronting higher education in the country and would draw people from the public and private sectors to brainstorm on the causes and effects of the dwindling system.

Taking place at the Presidential Hotel, the programme will feature seminars, exhibition of books and educational materials, launch of three-volume compendium on Nigerian universities as well as dinner and award night where distinguished institutions, corporate organisations and individuals would be honoured.